Box-lock.



J. F. BEEHLER.

BOX LOCK.

Paten Aug. 23, 1910.

` lAPPLIGATIOIN FILED HAY 26, 1910.

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JAMES F. BEEHLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BOX-LOCK.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led May 26, 1910.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

semi No. 563,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. BEEHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Box-Lock, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved box lock, the object of my' invention being to provide a simple inexpensive lock particularly adapted for use on shipping boxes, beer and egg cases and the like, and which lock is provided with a locking rod` which is self centering in its keeper, and thus the upper end of the locking rod will always be in position to pass through the opening in the top or cover of the box, and the plate positioned over said opening.

The locking bolts of box locks are usually arranged to rotate freely in both directions in order that the upper end of the locking rod can be moved into position adjacent a perforated ear on the plate applied to the cover' of the box, and where such construction is made use of the locking rod must be turned back to a central position before the lid can be closed on the box, but by my improved construction the locking rod is self centering, z'. e., it will by gravity return to a central position on the keeper, and the laterally bent upper end of said locking rod will always be in proper position to pass through the opening in the box lid or cover.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a box equipped with my improved lock. Fig. 2 is a plan vie-w of a plate which is positioned on top of the box lid or cover. Fig. 3 is a view looking at the under side of the plate shown in Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings 1 designates the front wall of a box and 2 the lid or cover thereof through which lid or cover is formed an opening 3.

4 designates a plate which is attached to the lid or cover 2 immediately over the opening 3 and formed through this plate 4 is a slot 5 which occupies a position at right angles to the plane occupied by the front wall 1. Formed integral with this plate 4 and projecting upward therefrom are ears 6 which occupy positions at angles relative on the to the plane occupied by the slot 5, and formed through these ears G are apertures 6.

Formed integral with the under side of the plate 4 at the sides of the slot 5 and occupying positions at angles relative to the plane occupied by said slot are triangular lugs 7 8 designates a sheet metal plate, which is fixed to the inner face of the wall 1, and the central portion of this plate S is bent outward as designated by 9 to form a vertically disposed bearing for the locking rod 10. This rod is arranged to rotate freely in the bearing 9 and the lower end 11 of said rod is bent so as tooccupy a horizontal plane, and said bent end projects through U-shaped slot 12 formed through the lower portion of the plate 8. The upper end of the locking rod 10 is flattened, and bent into a hori- Zontal plane as designated by 13 and formed through this bent upper end is an aperture 14. When the box lid is closed the upperw end of the locking rod 10 projects throughy the slot 5, and the bent upper end of said rod is moved into position against either one of the ears 6, and the box may be sealed by means of a wire or thin metal seal which passes through the coinciding apertures 6 and 14. (See dotted lines Fig. 4.) When the sealing wire is broken the locking rod 10 will, by reason of its gravity, partially rotate and at the same time move downward a short distance owing to the movement of the laterally bent lower end 11 in the U-shaped slot 12 in the lower end of the plate 8, and thus the laterally bent upper end 13 of said locking rod will automatically move into a central position, and the box lid can readily be elevated without manual manipulation of the locking rod. The gravity of said locking rod tends to cause the same to remain in a central position, and therefore, if the box lid accidentally swings downward or is thrown downward with considerable force the upper end of the locking rod will pass through the openings 3 and 5 without injury to the lid or locking rod, and which injury would occur if the laterally bent upper end of the locking rod should be turned sidewise in either direction. If the locking rod should be turned laterally while the lid is raised, and said rod should stick by reason of friction the inclined facesof the lugs 7 on the under side of the plate 4 will strike against the laterally bent upper end of the locking rod, and

said upper end will pass through the openn t ing 5 in the plate 4 when the lid is closed.

A box lock of my improved construction A is comparatively simple, can be cheaply manufactured, and the locking rod will always move into the desired position after the sealing wire has been detached from the rod.

I claim 1. In a box lock, a keeper adapted to be positioned on the front wall of the box, a self centering locking rod on said keeper arranged to rotate freely in both directions away from its central position on the keeper the upper end of Lwhich locking rod projects laterally, a plate adapted to be fixed on the box lid, in which plate is formed a slot through which the upper end of the locking rod projects, perforated ears on opposite sides of the slot in the plate, and lugs'l integral with the under side of the plate on opposite sides of the slot therein, which lugs have inclined faces.

2. In a box lock, a keeper adapted to be fixed to one of the walls of the box, a locking rod loosely held by said keeper, there being a U-shaped slot formed through the keeper, and the lower end of which locking rod is bent laterally and projects through the U-shaped slot.

3. A box lock comprising a keeper on which is formed a vertically disposed tubular bearing, there being a U-shaped slot formed through the wall of said bearing, a locking rod arranged to rotate freely in said bearing, the lower end of which rod is bent laterally through the U-shaped slot, a plate adapted to be fixed on the box lid in which plate is formed a slot through which the upper end of the locking rod projects, perforated ears on opposite sides of the slot in the plate, and lugs integral with the under side of the plate` on opposite sides of the slots therein, which lugs have inclined faces.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of May, 1910.

JAMES F. BEEHLER.

Witnesses:

LOUIS MAHN, GEO. A. FINGH. 

